Meaning of 'Deferred' in College Applications

Hey everyone! Can somebody please explain what it means if my college application has been 'deferred?' I've seen this term a few times but don't fully understand it. Any help would be appreciated.

Hello! When your college application has been "deferred," it means that the college has not made a final decision regarding your application during the early action or early decision cycle. Instead, your application will be reviewed again and considered along with the regular decision applications. Typically, this postponement occurs when a school's admissions office wants to take more time to review your application or compare it with the larger regular decision applicant pool before making a decision.

Being deferred is not the same as being rejected; it's not a negative outcome, but rather you're still in the running for admission. While specific outcomes will vary from school to school and applicant to applicant, it's important to stay optimistic and consider this as a chance to improve your application, if possible. You can use this time to update the college with any new accomplishments, send an updated transcript with your fall semester grades, or possibly even submit an additional letter of recommendation. It's also a good time to explore other college options and submit robust applications to other schools in case you don't get accepted to the deferred school during the regular decision cycle.

Best of luck with your applications, and remember to stay positive and proactive!